Ejercicio B · Inglés PAU Madrid Modelo 2021

TEXTO B

Is Reading Affected by Gender?

Boys whose classmates think reading is for girls are more likely to perform poorly in this area, a study suggests. To conduct the study, researchers quizzed a total of 1,508 fifth-grade students in 60 classes in Germany, who had an average age of 10. The children filled out questionnaires in which they ranked whether they thought boys or girls were better at reading, which gender read more, and which gender had more fun doing so. They also rated their own enjoyment and skill in the activity, and completed reading tests.

Past studies have suggested the stereotypes that reading is for girls and maths is for boys are pervasive, so the researchers wanted to see if this could contribute to a gap in skills. The study revealed that boys who believed gender stereotypes about reading were less likely to see themselves as competent and motivated in this regard. They also found boys whose classmates thought reading was for girls not only had similar attitudes about themselves, but also appeared to perform worse in tests. The gender stereotype didn’t appear to affect girls positively or negatively.

However, the authors acknowledged that their findings don’t prove that gender stereotypes make boys worse at reading and said their data might not be accurate as they relied on the children’s honesty. One of the authors of the study said: “To reduce socially determined gender disparities in reading, it may help to create classroom contexts that discourage students from acting on their stereotypical beliefs.”

The study is the latest to examine how gender stereotypes affect young people. Late last year, a separate team of researchers found teaching teenage boys about gender equality could prevent them from being violent.

Adapted from “Gender stereotype that reading is for girls linked to worse test scores in boys,” Newsweek, 26 February 2020. <https://www.newsweek.com/gender-stereotype-that-reading-girls-linked-worse-test-scores-boys-1488787>

B.1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE. [Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos]

a)

The participants in the study were asked how good they were at reading.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

Both researchers are certain their results are totally reliable.

TRUE

FALSE

B.2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy from the text. [Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos]

a)

What results did the study reveal with regard to boys? Mention two things.

b)

What did the other study described in the text find out?